


Break the Caste

by lonely_no_more



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Gladiators, F/F, caste system, futuristic gladiators
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-05 02:16:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14607027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonely_no_more/pseuds/lonely_no_more
Summary: They were born into these roles.But that didn't mean they were about to stay there.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is on the shorter side because it's just a drabble but I loved the premise I came up with so I did a tiny addition to it.

A loud growl escaped her throat as she snapped, “Dammit, could you wrap it any tighter?”

Annie shot a glare in return and retorted, “Don’t tempt me.” She returned to carefully wrapping the gauze bandage over the taller woman’s hand. “You really did a number on yourself this time, didn’t you?” When she was done with that hand, Annie grabbed the other and restarted the process. “Mikasa, you need to be more careful. At this rate, you’ll end up with arthritis in your hands before you turn thirty.” 

“What does it matter…” Mikasa bowed her head. “This is all my family knows. And once that’s over with, Marley will-”

“No, they won’t,” Annie interrupted. Her eyes fell to the floor rather than face Mikasa. She knew the woman was staring at her with either shock or incredulity because of how vehemently she’d responded. Quietly, the blonde whispered, “I know that your family is basically raised to be gladiators- to fight for the entertainment of the wealthy- and then once you’ve passed your prime, they take you in as one of their lab rats until you’re dead.” 

Mikasa watched as Annie finished wrapping her other hand before simply sitting across from her on the bench, still holding her hand. “What can you do, Annie? You’re the first of your family to ever get anywhere outside of your caste. I still don’t know how you managed to do it.” 

“That doesn’t matter,” she murmured. Annie took both of Mikasa’s hands in her own and brought them up so she could gently kiss her knuckles. “I’m getting us out of Marley. Somehow. I’m tired of this caste system. I’ve heard stories about Paradis; they don’t have castes. We might be able to live some kind of normal life.”

“Is that why you’ve been investing more into my medical care recently?” Mikasa asked, her tone growing slightly amused. 

Annie’s lips curled into a tired smirk. “Yeah. You’re gonna need all that stupid strength you’ve got to get us out of the walls here in Marley.” 

The gladiator leaned in closer, not quite touching Annie but close enough that their noses could almost brush by one another. “Why are you so interested in leaving?”

“They let my dad just  _die_ ,” she replied quietly. “Because we were another warrior family and he’d served his purpose in their eyes.” Annie could feel her eyes sting with tears. “I don’t want that to happen to me. Or to you. There has to be something better.”

“There is,” Mikasa confirmed. She turned their hands slightly so she could hold Annie’s hands in hers instead. “We’re gonna change our fates. And I’ll fight for it if you will.”

“Always.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where most of the violence is. It isn't graphic, I don't think. Only thing that happens is someone gets choked until they pass out.

This was going to be their chance. If this battle went as expected, they were going to make their escape tonight. Mikasa glanced over her shoulder before the gate opened to the arena. Annie was standing behind her, seemingly calm, but Mikasa could see the worry in her eyes. “Are you ready?” the brunette questioned softly. 

Annie nodded solemnly. “Are you?”

“I was born ready,” Mikasa responded, flashing a smirk at her partner. She turned to face her; her armor was constantly taking vitals but wasn’t built to enhance the physical traits. If anything it was a burden. In her ear, Mikasa could hear her vitals being listed but it was almost like background noise to her. 

The gate dinged and began to rise. Annie reached up and tugged Mikasa down into a kiss. “Good luck.”

“Same to you. East gate, right?”

“East gate,” she confirmed. They nodded at one another before parting and on the monitors that lined the hallway, Annie could see Mikasa entering the arena. As the fight began, the blonde woman broke into a run towards the breaker room. She flung the door open to see Bertholdt at the controls. When he looked up, eyes widening, she shut the door quietly. 

“A-Annie, what are you doing here? Aren’t you-” His eyes widened in alarm as Annie’s hand shot out, gripping his throat and slamming him against the floor. 

As she watched his eyes starting to roll back, she muttered, “Nothing personal.” When he was out cold, the blonde stood back up and set her sights on the control for Mikasa’s armor. It was a safety precaution, to make sure she’d be able to keep running without the armor freezing on her. Annie cut the control and then quickly blew the entire breaker for the arena. It went pitch black and the blonde was suddenly very thankful for the optic enhancers she was given upon becoming a doctor. 

When she felt her armor power down, Mikasa began stripping it away, tossing the pieces hard enough to knock out the guards surrounding the arena. She ran to the emergency gate and used her strength to haul it up, giving herself the chance to leave. The entire arena was in an uproar and she knew the IT personnel would take a bit of time to find their way to the breaker room and fix it. Mikasa beamed when she saw Annie by the East gate. “Hey.”

“Let’s go,” Annie urged. She smiled when Mikasa leaned in for a brief kiss. “What was that for?”

“For more good luck.”


End file.
